FIRE SERVICE ANSWERS 10 HOAX CALLS EACH DAY IN GREATER MANCHESTER

10.52.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd Jun 2009

Greater Manchester Fire Service is called out to almost 10 hoax calls each day, according to research from Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell.

Since 2003, there have been 17,395 false alarm calls to Greater Manchester Fire Service that have been classified as "malicious". Across the North West as a whole there were 32,863 malicious false alarms during the same period, out of a total of almost 250,000 false alarms.

Whilst most false alarm calls are well intentioned, the fire service wastes time and money responding to hoax calls. These calls potentially take them away from a responding to a real emergency.

Commenting, Andrew Stunell said:

"It is disappointing that there is still clearly a small minority of people who want to make life difficult for the fire brigade by calling them out to phantom fires.

"Whilst the majority of false alarms are well intentioned, with people adopting a "better safe than sorry" approach, there are still too many deliberate false alarms. The worry is that they will prevent the fire brigade from responding to a real emergency.

"Greater Manchester Fire Service is doing a sterling job in trying to stop hoax calls, but they continue to be an unnecessary distraction to their work. Hoax calls cost time, money and ultimately lives."

ENDS